J.W. Hunt
 

I heard bits and pieces of how he was a huge dirt track racing advocate... I figure some of the elder statesman might have some more 'dirt' on the guy...:23:

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

He was a cool old dude. I've been at races at Eldora where he took cash from his pocket and added to the nights purse or bought tires for a needy racer to keep them racing. I also know he was very fond of Jack Hewitt and Bob Hampshire. He was always hanging around them at the track. I remember one year at the Kings Royal, him and Jack had a table set up signing hero cards outside turn 4. You used to see those JWH strawberry stickers on alot of cars he was helping out.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

I've still got one of those strawberries autographed by Jack around here somewhere. I bet a whole lot of folks still have them.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

he went from nascar to the dirt tracks. said he had more fun that way...heavily sponsored charlie swartz also.:22:

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

I just threw away my JW Hunt racing hat with the strawberry on the front of it just 3 or 4 days ago. It was so deteriorated from dirt, sweat and old age that it actually crumbled in my hand.

JW was a big supporter of our sport, and Hewitt especially.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

He was also big on Brent Kaeding out west. I do believe that he used to put money up for any hot shots (Like BK Sr.) to give up their qualifying position and start a feature from the back.

If I am not mistaken, Billy Puterbaugh still puts a Hunt sticker on the family sprint car.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

I was at a all star show in KY and he gave all of us in the pits with sprint cars $100.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

He was before my time, but when I was a kid I remember seeing him in the pits with Hewitt & Hamp, they'd come hammering in last minute after hustling over from the Duquoin mile to catch the wing action at Tri-State..

The NSCHOF has a nice article about him here.. just scroll down to 1996 and he was inducted them, click on his name..

http://sprintcarhof.com/Pages/Inductees

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

JW also did a lot for the team me and my father ran with Lealand McSpadden as the driver in the late 80's and early 90's,after winning a feature at Eldora during the CRA tour,JW gave Lealand a diamond encrusted sprint car ring for winning the race, he took that ring off of his own finger and told Lealand to take it because he was going to get a new one for himself.
Another time we were racing at Chico the night before the GoldCup started in 1991,in our heat race which was the 4th heat Lealand got over a wheel and flipped pretty hard into the front straightaway catch fence which seriously hurt the car,when the car was brought back to the pits we figured we were done,but with help from a lot of people we got it fixed and transfered to the feature. In the time before the feature JW came over and said to Lealand here's 500.00 for the highflyer award and Lealand told him to put the money back into his pocket and that JW could give it to him on the front strech after Lealand won,JW told him that if he did in fact win that he would throw in a little extra money. Lealand did win the feature that night and during the trophy presentation JW gave Lealand the 500 plus an additional 2 grand and then he turned to me and my father and gave us a grand a piece for all the hard work we had done to get the car fixed.
That's the type of man JW was,always helping racers out.
RIP BOSS

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

I've never heard a bad word ever spoken about J.W.Hunt. and I've been going to races for the last 35 years. When he was around you could guarantee someone was going to walk away with a little more cash in their pocket and a spring in their step.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

I have witnessed JW Hunt passing out 100 dollar bills on a couple of occasions.

Neat guy, and a HUGE fan and patron of the Sport

RIP

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

He even sponsored my 1/8 Scale Nitro RC Late Model. Ok not really, I just really liked then Hewitt 21 :)

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p...C/IMG_0344.jpg

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

THere is a pretty good bio on the JW Hunt on the National SPrint Car HOF site

http://sprintcarhof.com/Pages/Inductees

Search for Hunt in the 1996 class.

THere are also bios on a lot of other greats.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

Just curious, how this was brought up? Was he in the news recently?

I found this on another site:Though he was not a driver that I know of, the contributions of J. W. Hunt to the sport of sprint car racing -- and dirt track racing in general -- cannot be overstated. A strawberry farmer from Florida by profession, Hunt was perhaps the biggest fan dirt track racing ever had, and he spread his considerable wealth around to practically every driver in the sport. The familiar strawberry logo appears to this day on hundreds of race cars and drivers' helmets across the US.

You never knew when or where Hunt would appear, but when he did he would always spice up the racing by offering a little extra to sweeten the purse. I remember one particular night at Silver Dollar Speedway, when the CRA non-winged tour was in town for a Gold Cup support race. Lealand McSpadden had set quick time, but flipped in his heat race, ringing his bell and severely damaging the car. J. W. stepped up to the infield reporter's microphone and offered to add $1000 to the winner's purse if McSpadden could come back through the B main and win the main event! The offer met with roars of approval from the crowd. Looking a little shaky in a car that wasn't quite right, Lealand proceeded to run away with the B. A few minutes later, with the car now set up for the always-tacky Chico track, he won the main event to a standing ovation, and a beaming Hunt was there to greet McSpadden on the victory stand!

Hunt passed away in January of 1994 after a long and full life. But I'm sure he smiles down on America's dirt tracks every weekend.

This is at the Hall of Fame in Charlotte, I never knew any of this history until today, sounds like he was a huge asset to dirt racing!
http://www.apexonephoto.com/WoO-Worl...95_gaZMg-L.jpg

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

you will see me at all the tracks J.W. Hunt plate on my truck & a J.W.Hunt hat on my head went to Plant City FL tready me like a king

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

Read a brief statement by a friend that mentioned him... I knew nothing about J.W. and it sparked my curiosity.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

One day , years ago, my brothers and I were working on Duke Cook's car at the Hoosier Hundred . We started 11 or 12, and Duke took off. By lap 50 we were 3rd and coming, when the rear end let go. At the end of the day J.W. came by and handed us some cash. He said you boys did a good job today, and I'm buying the beer. If there ever was a racers racer, he was the man.

The other thing about J.W. is that you only hear half the stories. There were so many favors done by that man behind the scenes, that he'll never be forgotten amongst us old timers, as you call us.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

Thus why I inquired... He sounds like a incredible guy... I definitely aspire to be more like J.W. and hopefully others that may have not known or maybe forgot do as well.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

JW was a hell of a guy!

I've been to back yard cook outs with JW in attendance, then later the same day at Eldora he would be mobbed by people. He was the same, laid back, always looking to have a good time, JW.

He 'created' ways to slide racers a few extra $$.

I've even seen him tell one of Eldora's 50/50 girls "Honey, give me $100 worth, and you might as well get $100 worth for yourself too', then he handed her 2 $100 bills.

Short track racing lost a great supporter, and fan, when JW Hunt passed.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

I think he has the visit the race track record. As a fan I would say hi to him all the time. It wouldn't surprise me that he was the man behind the 69 BK's BBQ at Calistoga with Doc Miller the chef.

He sure would pass out some cash.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

My Dad, Pat Patrick was lucky enough to have a JW strawberry on many of his cars. JW took care of many with his unselfishness. What an honor it was to included.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

I watched your Dad race many, many times at Brownstown. He was always a favorite with me. http://www.dirtfans.com/sitebuilder/...83-494x246.jpg

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

pat did our cranks for free at don's crankshaft. pat was definatly a friend of the family.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

Never had the honor to meet the man but you guys have shared some nice stories about sounds like an extraordinary man.Sure wish I could have had a chance to meet him,sounds like he touched many people's lives.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

I was in the stands at Eldora and he came walking up the steps to the
announcers booth (before any tunnels) and as he passed by our row,
my seat was on the aisle, he fumbled with something in his pocket and dropped something on the ground and didn't notice. I picked it up and it was two one hundred dollar bills. I chased him up the steps and gave it back to him. He told me if I was that honest I should just be able to keep it. That was a lot of money for a young man like myself and when I finally got to own and drive my own racecars, I always put a JW strawberry on my car. What a fine gentleman. I really miss him being around.:13:

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

Now Pat watches the ponies go round the track. He likes to bet the 5 horse!

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

I was thinking exactly the same thing.. That's why I brought it up... Really great to hear the stories, keep them coming guys...

I was honored to have Mr. Hunt as a sponsor from my first year in go-carts to my first year in sprintcars. The only reason his help stopped was because he passed on to sponsor the good lords racecars. Mr. Hunt was a family friend and loved by all and that is the reason I will always and proudly dawn a JWH strawberry on the white #16
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Re: J.W. Hunt
 

hey sprintcar i had the previlage of seeing larry morrison's scrap book and you would not believe all the features pat patrick won. i guess that is why he is in the hall of fame. the #5 was on a roll.....

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

I always enjoyed watching your dad race as he was always flat out around the track no matter where. I not only knew him at the race track but also down at the city garage. He always took time out to talk about racing no matter where we would see each other. Now I know where Brett gets his racing blood with both grandfathers being racers.

REH

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

Is it still possible to find any of those stickers out and about.Would like to buy some if I could find em.

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

one of the best pictures was of hewitts late model, sprint and midget taken on top of a water fall, all with MR HUNT'S sponsor ship on the car's
love to see that picture again

MR HUNT would go in somewhere and if there was strawberry's he would go check them out , then mutter god dam california strawberry's :3:

they had to be plant city berries or he was pissed

Re: J.W. Hunt
 

I have this picture at my moms house . I believe the silver crown car was in it as well .They pushed the cars down the river to the falls for this picture ( this is the story i heard )